Night Terrors (Ashes To Ashes)
by Tarma Hartley
Summary: Written for NaruMitsu Week on Tumblr. Day 4 Theme: Dreams And Nightmares. Miles has a horrific nightmare... Disturbing imagery and violence


_A/N: I do not own Phoenix Wright or Miles Edgeworth; they belong to CAPCOM. The plot, however, is mine.  
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Miles has a nightmare...  
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 _Written for NaruMitsu Week on Tumblr. Day 4: Dreams & Nightmares  
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 _Some disturbing imagery and violence_

Dream dialogue from JTMusic's (previously jtmachinima), _"_ **I'm a killing machine, now I'm coming to get you," "Join us and die" and "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, you're going to burn with the rest of us"** FNAF rap songs, _"Five More Nights. A FNAF 2 Rap"_ and _"Another Five Nights: A FNAF 3 Rap." Imagery of Springtrap from Five Nights At Freddy's 3._

My 130th fic! WUHOO! ^)^ _  
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 _He was running..._

 _From something he couldn't see..._

 _He was running for his life..._

 _And it was coming for him..._

 _Coming..._

 _For him..._

~0~

 _The dark grey-haired sixteen year-old boy was running... away from some unidentifiable something that he couldn't escape. He fled down an endless stream of freezing corridors that seemed to go on forever, with no discernible beginning or end and he had to be careful lest he slip and fall in his panicked flight. He was panting hard, his breath coming out n pained, ragged pants, tendrils of steam spiraling up into the air from his wide open mouth._

 _He didn't know where he was... and that only made his sense of isolation even worse as he continued to stumble from room to room, desperately trying to find a way out only to find either a dead end, or another locked door. The doors were cold to the touch and it burned the tips of his fingers when he reached out to gingerly touch it._

 _He jerked his hand back, hissing in pain, thin mewls of terror emerging from tightly compressed lips. Time and again, he kept trying to touch it and, time and again, it burned him with its glacial frost. Many desperate minutes later, he was at last able to touch it without it burning him with freezing cold._

 _His shaking hand grabbed the doorknob, turning it desperately, his mind gibbering with fear as he did so, his bangs whipping around to slap him in the face as he pulled on it. His pale skin was even paler, red blotches dotting his cheeks from shed tears, his lips red and swollen, his nose plugged._

Comeoncomeoncomeonecomeoncomeonopenopenopen! _His heart was hammering in his chest, it echoed in the eerie silence like a rifle shot, the loud, staccato sound going off like a bomb in his ears._ Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease!

He could hear his panicked breathing which only served to drive his terror higher, tears coursing down his cheeks.

 _Somewhere in his frenzied, desperate yanking on the doorknob, a soft sound seemed to come from somewhere behind him and it made him pause, shivering from head to foot as he strained his ears to hear anything in the gloomy darkness._

 _Tch...tch...tch...tch...GRRRNNNN..GRUNNNNN...GRRRRUNNNND...tch...tch...tch..._

 _His chest was heaving, gulping in mouthfuls of air, as his wide, dark grey eyes looked fearfully around him, his black loafers, grey short pants, red cardigan with a blue shirt underneath and his red bowtie seeming to be covered with some kind of black, fetid muck._

 _Tch...tch...tch...tch...GRRRNNNN..GRUNNNNN...GRRRRUNNNND...tch...tch...tch..._

Nononononono.. _.! his mind chittered fearfully, wiping his grimy cheeks with his sleeve as he tried to catch his breath and sort out where he was._

 _Tch...tch...tch...tch...GRRRNNNN..GRUNNNNN...GRRRRUNNNND...tch...tch...tch..._

Is it coming... did I hear it... is it coming? Why can't I see it?!

 _For many minutes, there was nothing but the eerie silence and his own, labored breathing but then he heard another sound... a loud, grinding metallic sound in the distance, becoming louder as it approached. The teenager moaned as he turned and began to run once again, stumbling down the hallway in his mad rush to escape the horror that was slowly, inexorably, coming after him._

 _He ran until he couldn't run anymore, stumbling and then falling on his knees, screaming in fear and had to run; his brain was telling him that there was danger coming and that he had to get up and run away but he couldn't muster up the strength._

 _For a moment all was still and then he felt a sickening lurch that made him feel dizzy. He scrunched his eyes shut as thin tendrils of black smoke seemed to fill the air; he coughed, putting his hand over his mouth as he began to crawl across the... dirt road?_

Dirt? What... is... this? The teen stared at the ground in horrified fascination; where there was once a black-and-white checkered marble floor, now there was dirt underneath his shaking hand. There were trees of every size and description, some with naked branches that seemed to reach out to him like fingers...And the metallic sound seemed to grow even louder as it made its way toward him.

Tch...tch...tch...tch...GRRRNNNN..GRUNNNNN...GRRRRUNNNND...tch...tch...tch...

"FATHER! HELP ME! HELP ME!" _Screaming in terror, he launched himself up from his knees and began to run again. Branches recoiled and slapped him in the face as he raced by, once nearly knocking him off of his feet but terror gave him wings as he practically flew over the ground, pushing tree branches and rotting vegetation out of his way._

 _Tch...tch...tch...tch...GRRRNNNN..GRUNNNNN...GRRRRUNNNND...tch...tch...tch..._

Voices; there were voices echoing in the distance, a craze cacophony that was advancing toward him. Louder and louder it grew, the teen screaming and clapping his burned hands over his ears in a vain attempt to drown out the deafening racket as it approached.

 **Ashes to ashes  
** _  
Flames suddenly burst up from the ground in front of him and he screeched to a halt, loud, piercing screams pouring from his mouth. The orange flames licked at him, pulling at the rim of his cardigan, singeing his skin with painful accuracy._

Tch...tch...tch...tch...GRRRNNNN..GRUNNNNN...GRRRRUNNNND...tch...tch...tch...

 _Burning...burning... he was burning as he ran, swatting at the flames in a vain attempt to smother them but they burned only hotter, searing him even more painfully than they had before._

 **Dust to dust** _  
_  
"Father! Please, help me! Father! FFFFATTTHHHEEEERRRRR!" _His desperate cries echoed in the stillness, seeming to mock him as his hair and clothing burst into flame, surrounding him in bright orange colors._

Tch...tch...tch...tch...GRRRNNNN..GRUNNNNN...GRRRRUNNNND...tch...tch...tch...

 **You're going to burn with the rest of us**

Tch...tch...tch...tch...GRRRNNNN..GRUNNNNN...GRRRRUNNNND...tch...tch...tch...

 _ **DiDYOUEveRTHINKtHATYouCoUlDESCApEME,ChILD?**_

 _The teen didn't stop to wonder about the new voice that had joined the others for he continued to run, batting at the flames that seemed to grow brighter in his manic flight. He raced toward a dim light somewhere in the distance, screaming in pain as he burned until he tripped and fell, tumbling head first into a pond that suddenly opened up in front of him._

 _ **DiDYOUEveRTHINKtHATYouCoUlDESCApEME,ChILD?**_

 _Tch...tch...tch...tch...GRRRNNNN..GRUNNNNN...GRRRRUNNNND...tch...tch...tch..._

 _The flames were doused instantly but he struggled to breathe as something rose up from the depths, grabbing onto his ankle, threatening to pull him down into its fetid depths._

 _Tch...tch...tch...tch...GRRRNNNN..GRUNNNNN...GRRRRUNNNND...tch...tch...tch..._

 _ **YOU WILL NEVER**_

 _A scream was quickly silenced as he flailed his arms out desperately, churning the dark, black water all around him, his mouth opening, screaming and choking as water rushed in._

 _ **ESCAPE ME**_

 _His lungs were fair bursting with the need to breathe but he couldn't; every time he did, he only swallowed more heard a mocking laugh coming from somewhere underneath him and he struggled even more furtively in order to escape._

 ** _CHILD!_**

"FATHER!" _The desperate cry was torn from deep within his throat, his head snapping back and howling as he flailed desperately in the viscous mire._

 _ **ASHES TO ASHES, DUST TO DUST, YOU'RE GOING TO BURN WITH THE REST OF US**_

But...but...I..I'm not...burning! I...water...sinking...need to fight..!. Have to..! Can't let **him** win!

 _He kicked and struggled, the water frothing as he fought to free himself from the lake's black, stinking depths and the hand that was so intent on holding him down. He finally managed to kick himself free and shot to the surface, gulping in great lungfuls of air once he broke the surface and swam fiercely for shore._

 _ **I'M A KILLING MACHINE, NOW I'M COMING TO GET YOU...**_

He could hear something coming behind him but he paid no attention as he swam, finally kicking free of the black ooze that grabbed him, struggling to make it on the white sandy shore.

 _ **I'M A KILLING MACHINE, NOW I'M COMING TO GET YOU...**_

He was gasping for air as he struggled to pull himself out of that horrific pool of death, scrabbling futilely, his feet kicking uselessly. onto the white sand, lying on his back, arms and legs akimbo, his chest heaving. He intermittently coughed in-between gulping in air, turning over onto his side. He was shocked to see black soot on the palm of his hand when he put it up to his mouth.

 _ **I'M A KILLING MACHINE, NOW I'M COMING TO GET YOU...**_

NONONONONONONONONONONO...! _His eyes widened, staring at his shaking hand and mewling in terror. The mocking voice was back... and it wasn't alone. He could hear a chorus of dissonant voices, shrieking in tandem, seeming to come from all around him. He screamed, scrambling to his feet, howling mindlessly as he clapped his hands over his ears, thick, black smoke pouring from his mouth._

 **JOIN US**

 _He stumbled and fell to his knees, his eyes scrunched shut, lying face down on the white sand, fetid black plumes circling and twisting in the air around him. He couldn't think any more; terror had come and grabbed him by the throat, throttling him and made any kind of coherent, logical thought impossible. He had to escape; he had to get away but he didn't know where he could run to in order to escape his tormentors, doom bringing birds of prey._

 **AND DIE**

 _He slipped and fell again; this time he couldn't rise but could only roll over, staring his doom square in the face. He whimpered deep in his throat, shrinking from the fearsome apparition that was reaching out for him, dripping black ichor on the snow white beach._

 _Tears ran down his cheeks as his feet scrabbled against the sand, slipping and sliding as inky tendrils reached out for him, wrapping around his throat and squeezing, mocking laughter echoing around him._

 _He struggled to breathe, desperate fingers trying to tear the tendrils from his throat but it was useless. He gasped and struggled, the horrifying inevitability of his impending death clear to him._

 _A choked, pitiful moan emerged from his throat, his eyes beginning to glaze over. The last thing the teen saw was the decayed, rotting flesh of the face of Manfred Von Karma leering at him._

 _He moaned and struggled futilely in his grasp, his eyes widening in mingled horror and disgust._

 _Sneering:_

"Did you think that you could escape me?"

No... _He tried to lift his hand but found he couldn't, dangling limply by his side as he saw stars beginning to flicker behind his half-closed eyes as he started to black out._

 _A horrific smile spread across Von Karma's rotting face framed by a rotting, yellow animatronic suit; he could see the metal springs sticking out through the arm, his eyes glowing with a mad, crimson glow. His mouth split open, revealing a horrid set of tarnished, metal teeth, a deep, rumbling laugh echoing all around him as he spat, "_

 _"_ You will **NEVER** escape me, child! You're **MINE**!"

 _The cacophony grew to an ear-shattering level..._

 _ **MINE!**_

 _And then, the noise abruptly ceased, leaving a deafening silence in its wake. The boy's ears rang in the deafening silence as he weakly struggled but he knew it was useless; he was going to die and there was nothing that he could do to stop it._

F...F...Father... I'm...

 _For a moment, an eerie stillness reigned; there was an itchy sort of tension in the air as the world seemed to hold its collective breath as if it was waiting for something._

F-F-aaa...th... Sorry...

 _He took another, tortured breath, his head snapped back by the tendril garrote around his throat..._

..Fa...

 _His eyes wide open..._

...eR...

And then...

He burst into flames.

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"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Miles screamed as he sat bolt upright in bed, soaked in sweat and shaking with terror, gasping for breath. The corners of the black comforter were held tightly in shaking fingers, sobbing gasps emerging from tightly pressed lips.

 _ **Oh god... oh god ohgodohgod...OHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGOD!**_

" **MILES?"** The voice was sleep addled, not quite fully conscious and it came from somewhere beside him. **"Miles? Are you all right?"** A pause. **"It's 2 A.M. Wha-?"**

 _Help me, Father! Don't let him get me!_ He opened his mouth and screamed again, a loud, wailing sound that echoed in the room.

" **MILES!"** Someone's hands were on his shoulders, someone's voice was shouting; he instinctively shrank form that touch, remnants of the nightmare fresh in his mind.

 _ **I'm BURNING! I'M BURNING! OH GOD SOMEONE HELP ME!**_

" **MILES! WAKE UP!"**

Someone was shaking him and, at last, he threw off the vestiges of the nightmare and came back to reality.

He drew in a few deep heaving gasps, his terror-filled dark grey eyes popping open, his head whirling to look at Phoenix, his lips parted, tears shining on his cheeks.

"Miles it's okay." Phoenix reached out to him, drawing him into his arms, pulling his head down to his shoulder. He rocked slowly back and forth, crooning softly, his fingers tenderly stroking his sweat-drenched locks. "it's okay... I'm here. You're all right; it was only a nightmare..."

Miles clung to him like a frightened child, mewling sounds of terror being torn from deep within him. He scrunched his eyes shut, deep wracking sobs emerging from tightly pressed lips. Phoenix didn't say a word but continued to hold him, kissing the top of his head tenderly and whispering words of comfort.

 _What did it mean?_ Miles began to relax in Phoenix's arms, feeling the last webs of fear slowly slipping away. _Oh god...will I never be free of his malign influence?!_ Fresh tears started to run down his cheeks, strangled sobs emerging from his tight throat. _Oh god...!_

"Shhhh... It's okay, Miles," he heard Phoenix whisper again, his fingers wreathing in his hair. "It was _only_ a nightmare; you're safe. You're here with me. I won't let anyone hurt you... I promise."

He comforted as only he could, whispering to him how much he loved him and that he wouldn't let anyone hurt him; that it was only a nightmare and it _wasn't_ real.

At last, the last of his fear melted and he leaned into Phoenix who continued to hold him throughout the long might.

 **.:FIN:.**


End file.
